


I’ll Be Your Light

by ninwrites



Series: nin’s follower celebration [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Apologies, Bubble Bath, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Future Fic, Gift Fic, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Promises, Supportive Magnus Bane, Upset Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 05:50:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13541049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninwrites/pseuds/ninwrites
Summary: Even the best intentions lead to emotion-heavy heart-to-hearts.





	I’ll Be Your Light

**Author's Note:**

> For my darling hypewoman™️ [madi](https://mobile.twitter.com/wideyedmalec) — though our friendship has been short, you’ve already showed me a lot, from an endless amount of love and support to endless love memes. I hope you enjoy your gift, short though it may be, and that your day is as sweet and beautiful as you
> 
>  
> 
> —
> 
> love and gratitude to [sara](https://mobile.twitter.com/ssaralarssons), for all your wonderful help - you are a star and I love you.
> 
> — 
> 
> title from ‘Home’ by One Direction

It stings, at first, tiny needles pricking his cold skin, but then the warmth soothes over, a balm over his bruises and healing cuts, his knitted bones easing beneath the scented bubbles. Alec slides his eyes closed, muscles twitching in a fight-or-flight response despite nearly two complete decades of hunting.

 

“Karma truly is a _cruel_ mistress, isn’t she?” Magnus’ low tone slips under the crack of the bathroom door, his dark figure following after.

 

Everything about him is sharp, obsidian glass and pointed edges; eyeshadow cutting across his lids, indigo shirt buttoned to his Adam’s apple, cuffs rolled up to reveal the veins that shimmer a faint blue when he flexes his hands into fists.

 

“I am sorry, Magnus.” Alec tries not to wince, when the water hikes a few degrees hotter, before his sentence is even out. “I was only trying to-”

 

“Help.” Magnus cuts his gaze towards Alec, eyes narrowed. “Yes, I’m aware. It is your fatal flaw, Alexander, your need to look out for others before considering yourself in the matter.”

He’s not angry, Alec knows, even as his unglamoured eyes flash molten gold, fingers sparking blue as they tidy the bathroom sink, the knocked bottles of lotions and oils and soaps, more for the purpose of busying himself, Alec thinks, than anything else.

 

It was a routine hunt. Nothing out of the ordinary, at first glance, but then the squad had called in for reinforcements, and suddenly it wasn’t a few Croucher demons scuttling down a dirty alleyway, but instead a - fortunately small - collective of Rahab demons.

 

Only one Shadowhunter walked away with an injury requiring a stay in the Infirmary, but nobody walked away without marks.

 

That being said, the mottled purple marking Alec’s skin, from being slammed into a dumpster by a discarded Shadowhunter flung his way from the force of a Rahab demon’s home-spiked tail, does shine under the fluorescent bathroom light. He isn’t looking good, injuries as superficial as they may be.

 

It's only reasonable for Magnus to be fuming.

 

“It’s not good,” Alec admits, glancing up with hesitance, uncertain of what he’ll find between the specks of gold. “But, it could have been a lot worse.”

 

“Yes,” Magnus bites, perching himself on the edge of the bathtub. His eyes hold centuries of wisdom and an immeasurable concern. “You could have died. Maybe you will, next time, if not seriously injured. I am not a fool, I understand that this is your job. But I was under the impression that you’d be more considerate with your own life.”

 

Alec pulls his knee up, carefully resting it next to Magnus’ hip, his pants splattered along the leg with sandalwood suds. “I should have been more prepared.” He admits. “The situation should never have been that bad. And next time, I’ll make sure we know exactly what we’re walking into.”

 

Magnus fiddles with his rings, focusing on the ruby-set band Alec had gotten him for his birthday - a promise ring, he’d explained. Not an engagement, not yet, but a promise that Alec would love him all his life.

 

A promise that Alec has bent, by being so reckless. He can’t exactly love Magnus for all of his life if his life is cut short.

 

“I’m sorry, Mags.” Alec holds up his hand, skin wrinkled and soapy. “I got lucky this time, you’re right, we all did. I’ll be more careful next time, I promise.”

 

Magnus’ glance flickers from his ring, to the steadfast certainty in Alec’s eyes, the unwavering affection, the steel determination to be _better_ , to _do_ better, always improving himself, as though he isn’t perfectly imperfect as it is.

 

“I love you,” Magnus exhales, slowly, closing his hand over Alec’s open palm. “I wouldn’t be so agitated if I wasn’t worried, and I wouldn’t be worried if I didn’t _really_ care about you.”

 

Alec raises their hands, brushing a kiss to the back of Magnus’, across the promise band. Magnus almost visibly relaxes, shoulders melting under the gentle reminder that everything is okay - it might not have been, but it is, and the fact that Alec is together and alive and breathing, his skin warm against Magnus’, is what is really important.

 

“It may be terribly selfish of me,” Magnus ponders, stroking his thumb across the back of Alec’s hand. “But I have gotten quite used to having you around.”

 

Alec grins, shifting closer, the water swelling and slipping with his movements. Six months ago, he wouldn’t have dared touched the taps of Magnus’ bath, let alone be comfortably naked in it, covered only by the exaggerated mounds of bubbles.

 

Sandalwood. _Their_ scent.

 

“I’ve gotten quite used to being around,” Alec admits, pressing a kiss against Magnus’ dark sleeve. “Home is, they say, where the heart is after all.”

 

Magnus hums, pensively. “Take care to remember, Alexander, that your heart is my home - I quite like it, I’d prefer not to be evicted before my tenancy is up.”

 

Droplets slip down Alec’s inner wrist, soap spotting Magnus’ cheek when Alec’s fingers cup it. “There’s no tenancy, Mags. My heart is all yours. No tangled strings attached. All yours.”

 

Magnus blinks, a flutter of eyelashes and pink cheeks. “Don’t think this means you’re forgiven. I’m expecting breakfast, in bed tomorrow, and your delightful company until at least noon.”

 

“You can have all of that,” Alec promises, curling his fingers. “I’ve organised a complete day off, tomorrow, barring any extreme emergencies. You’re my priority. Not the institute.”

 

Magnus would shake his head in disbelief, if Alec’s fingers weren’t slipping, thumb pressed to his bottom lip, fingers hooked beneath his chin.

 

Alec leans forward, water rippling from the disturbance, until the tip of his nose sweeps in tiny skips over Magnus’ cheek. Magnus’ hitching breath ghosts over Alec’s ear.

 

“Might I the pleasure of kissing you?” Alec asks, pressing the question into Magnus’ skin.

 

Magnus’ hand tightens against Alec’s, pressed into his thigh, his other hand folding around Alec’s bicep.

 

“The pleasure would be all mine,” Magnus assures him, practically melting into the kiss before all the words have left his mouth.

 

It’s sweet, and patient, the last stitch in the seams that had begun to fray from the second Alec had shuffled through the doors, cradling an iratze-marked wrist.

 

There’s always going to be danger, Magnus knows - they live frantic, unpredictable lives, their reality a precarious needle-point between good and evil.

 

That doesn’t make the ache any less prominent, when he sees the bruises and cuts still lingering, the superficial injuries that speak to much worse damage, fortunately healed now.

 

(Alec won’t let him take away the marks, says he needs to get rid of them in due time, an idea as charming as it is frustrating.)

 

It’s all Magnus can do, to focus on Alec, here and now, real and giggling beneath his hands; it’s these moments he must cherish the most, these pockets of happiness and peace.

 

In a world sinking towards a new age of darkness, it’s love that shines the most.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (this was only supposed to be a few hundred words. oops.)
> 
> there’ll hopefully be a few more drabbles (though preferably shorter) in celebration of my teaching four hundred followers on twitter. 
> 
> once again, a happy happy birthday to madi xx
> 
> links - for those interested:
> 
> twitter: [ninwrites](https://mobile.twitter.com/ninwrites) for fic stuff/updates/snippets + [malteser_24](https://mobile.twitter.com/malteser_24) for general fandom mess + small threads  
> tumblr: I've recently moved accounts - now, I have a writing tumblr, which you can find [here](https://ninwrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> thank you for reading!
> 
> \- Nin ❤


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